Guide for rolling mill



Dec. 19, 1961 J. w. RODNICK GUIDE FOR ROLLING MILL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 13, 1960 INVENTOR. Joseph 11/. Rodniclf BY H orney Dec. 19, 1961 Filed July 13, 1960 J. W. RODNICK GUIDE FOR ROLLING MILL I/IN III]

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jose 7971 11/. Rodnicl Dec. 19, 1961 J. w. RODNICK 3,013,453

GUIDE FOR ROLLING MILL Filed July 13, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 i 7 Joseph z gz zz fi'l-cx Mi 6% Dec. 19, 1961 J. w. RODNICK 3,013,453

GUIDE FOR ROLLING MILL Filed July 13, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. g oseph 11/. Rodnic/K BY Mi H o nay 3,013,453 Fatented Dec. ,19, 1961 ice 3,013,453 GUIDE FTPR RGLLTNG MILL Joseph W. Rodnick, Grafton, Mass, assignor to Morgan Construction Company, Worcester, Mass, a corpora tion of Massachusetts Filed July 13, 196%, Ser. No. 43,272 Claims. (Cl. 35-53) This invention relates to a guide for rolling mill and particularly to apparatus for determining the path of a rod or bar as it passes between the stands of a rolling mill. This is a continuation-in-part of my patent application S.N. 733,196, filed May 5, 1958, now abandoned.

In the past it has been common practice to use guides for rolling mills which consist of rollers which guide and twist the rolled material as it passes from one stand to another. The roller guides lend themselves very well to this operation because they minimize the amount of friction between the guiding surfaces and the material being rolled. These roller guides of the prior art have suffered from a number of deficiencies; one of these is that it is difficult to adjust the guiding gap defined by the rollers and it is usual to replace rollers when it is desired to obtain a gap of a different size, Also the wear on rollers of this type is very great because their speed of rotation diminishes when a rod or bar is not passing through them, but, when the front end of the rod strikes the roller surfaces, they are accelerated quickly to rod speed by the friction between the rod and the roller surface. The abrasive action brought about in this maner is very great and it is common practice to have to replace these guide rollers every working day. When it is considered that there are many such guides in a rolling mill, it can be seen that the cost is very great. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is therefore an outstanding object of the invention to provide a roller guide in which the gap between the guiding surfaces is readily adjustable. I

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a guide for a rolling mill in which guide rollers are 4 maintained at a speed of rotation very close to red speed at all times.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a drive for a rolling mill having rotatable frusto-conical rollers in which the surfaces of the rollers are maintained at a pro-selected distance but are readily adjustable.

Another object of the instant invention is provision of a guide having rotatable rollers which are maintained at a peripheral speed very close to rod speed by the force of the cooling water provided therewith.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

The character of the invention, however, can best be seen by reference to certain of its structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus, taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus, taken on the line III-III of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the apparatus, taken on the line IVIV of FIG. 2.

Referring first to FIG. 1, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the guide, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown in use with a rolling mill 11 having an upper roll 12 and a lower roll 13 The rolling mill is provided with a frame 14 from which extends a guide mounting support 15. The support 15 has an upwardly extending abutment 16 closely adjacent the rolls 12 and 13 and a pair of ears 17 and 18 extended upwardly from positions somewhat remote from the rolls. The ears 17 and 18 are provided with slots 19 and 21 which open upwardly and in the direction of the rolls to receive a rod 22 extending transversely of the guide 10.

The guide 10 is provided with a main frame 23-which consists in a general way of a forward plate 24 whose lower end is adapted to rest on the abutment 16 and a rearward plate 25 from which extend a pair of ears 26 and 27 which carry the rod 22 at their outer extremities. Extending between the forward plate 24 and the rearward plate 25, the main frame is provided with spaced side members 28 and 29, which are shown particularly clearly in FIG. 2. An upper yoke 31, which is of a hollow rectangular configuration, is pivotally mounted by pivots 59 and 60 in the main frame 23 between the plates 24 and 25. The upper yoke is provided with side members 32 and 33 between which is rotatably mounted a roller 34-. The roller is provided with a frusto-conical surface 35 and a series of serrations 36 situated in a portion ofthe roll adjacent the maximum diameter of the frusto-conical surface 35. A similar lower yoke 37 is pivotally mounted in the main frame by pivots 6t and 62 between the forward plate 24 and the rearward plate 25 and underlying the side members 28 and 29; the ends of the yoke 37 are mounted rotatably in the plates 24 and 25 and the yoke is provided with side members 38 and 39. Between these side members is rotatably mounted a roller 41 which rotary member 43 having a bore 44 in which is mounteda replaceable guide bushing 45, the bore being aligned with the mill pass line and with an aperture 64 in the forward plate 24. The rotary member 43 is provided with a segmental gear 46 which is engaged by a Worm 47 is .mounted in an abutment 48 extending from the upper portion of the said rearward plate. The worm 47 is provided with a suitable hexagonal head 49' for engagement by a tool or wrench. The rotary member 43 extends 7 through the rearward plate 25 and is provided on the inner side of that wall with a pinion gear 51. This pinion engages segmental gears 52 and 53 which are mounted inside the yokes 31 and 37, respectively. The segmental gears 52 and 53 are mounted within the yokes so as to have their centers of rotation in line with the longitudinal axis of rotation of the yokes.

A water pipe not shown is connected to a source of high pressure water, and is connected to a bifurcated fitting 55 having one leg 56 which is clamped in a supporting member 57 extending from the forward wall 24 of the main frame. Another leg 53 of the fitting 55 extends downwardly within the yoke 31 to a position adjacent the serrations of the roller 41. The leg 56 terminates adjacent the serrations 36 of the roller 34.

The operation of the guide of the invention will now be readily understood in view of the above description. The guide 10 is mounted adjacent the rolling mill 11'by permitting the lower end of the forward plate 24 to rest on the abutment 16 of the support 15, while the rod 22 resides in the slots 19 and 21 associated with the ears 17 and 18 of the support. When mounted in this position the yokes 31 and 37 are rotatable about parallel axes' 3 serrations of the rollers and causes them to rotate at a peripheral speed which is very close to the linear speed of the rod in the mill. The rod leaves the rolls 12 and 13 and enters the device through an aperture 64 in the forward plate 24. Let it be assumed that at this particular part of the rolling process the rod or bar emerges from the rolls with an oval or elliptical cross-section with its major axis horizontal. The rod or bar then passes through the rollers 34 and 41 in the manner shown in FIG. 2. Point contact is made between the rod and the frusto-conical surface 35 while point contact is similarly made between the rod and the frusto-conical surface 42. The perpendicular distance between these two surfaces is selected to guide the rod or bar in the proper manner. The bar passes between the rolls and is guided thereby and then passes through the guide bushing 45 in the bore 44 in the rearward plate 25 of the apparatus. The rod then passes to the next set of rolls but has been given a slight twist as it passes through the rolls 34 and 41, depending upon the perpendicular distance between the conical surfaces, so that the rod, when it strikes the next set of rolls, will have been twisted through 90, in the usual manner. When it is desired to change the distance between the frusto-conical surfaces 35 and 42, it is only necessary to apply a wrench to the head 49 to rotate the worm 47. This results in a rotation of the gear segment 46 and the member 43, which carries through to the pinion gear 51; the pinion gear 51, in turn, rotates the gear segments 52. and 53 which, as has been stated, are firmly fixed to the yokes 31 and 37, respectively. The rotation of the yokes about longitudinal axes results in an inclination of tie axes of the rollers 34 and 41 furthermore, by such motion, the axes of the rollers while remaining parallel are turned with respect to each other and are also turned with respect to the main frame. This movement provides that, although the frustoconical surfaces 35 and 41 remain parallel to one another, the perpendicular distance between them changes. This permits the rolls to accommodate themselves to bars or rods of different sizes and to give them more or less twist as is desired. It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly some within the scope claimed.

The invention thus having been described, what is claimed is new and desirable to secure Letters Patent:

1. A guide for rolling mill, comprising a main frame adapted to be mounted in fixed position in a rolling mill, two rollers mounted in the frame for rotation about parallel axes extending laterally of the pass line, means for rotatably adjusting each roller about an axis parallel to the pass line and crossing its other axis, the rollers having tapered surfaces of revolution arranged to face one another and define a passage therebetween, and nozzles mounted adjacent the rollers to permit the application of fluid under high pressure thereto, each roller being provided with serrations about its periphery for actuation by the said fluid.

2. A guide for rolling mill, comprising a main frame, two yokes mounted in the frame for rotation about axes parallel to the pass line, one yoke lying above the pass line and the other below it, a roller having a frustoconical surface mounted in each yoke for rotation about an axis that extends laterally of the pass line, and crosses the axis of its yoke, the axis of each roll being the axis of generation of the frusto-conical surface, and means permitting the rotation of the yokes about their axes in the same amount and in the same direction only.

3. A guide for rolling mill, comprising a main frame, two yokes mounted in the frame for rotation about axes parallel to the pass line, one yoke lying above the pass line and the other below it, a roller having a frustoconical surface mounted in each yoke for rotation about an axis that extends laterally of the pass line, the said axis of each roller being the axis of generation of the frustoconical surface, means permitting the rotation of the yokes about their axes in the same amount and in the same direction only, and nozzles mounted adjacent the rollers to permit the application of fluid under high pressure thereto, each roller being provided with serrations about its periphery for actuation by the said fluid.

4. A guide for rolling mill, comprising a main frame having two spaced parallel plates with aligned apertures defining a pass line for rolled material, two yokes mounted between the plates for rotation about axes parallel to the pass line, one yoke lying above the pass line and the other below it, a roller having a frusto-conical surface mounted in each yoke for rotation about an axis that extends laterally of the pass line and crosses the axis of its yoke, the said axis of each roller being the axis of generation of the frusto-conical surface, and means permitting the rotation of the yoke about their axes in the same amount and in the same direction only.

5. A guide for rolling mill, comprising a main frame, two yokes mounted in the frame for rotation about axes parallel to the pass line, one yoke lying above the pass line and the other below it, a roller having a frustoconical surface mounted in each yoke for rotation about an axis that extends laterally of the pass line and crosses the said axis of its yoke, the said axis of each roller being the axis of generation of the frusto-conical surface, and means permitting the rotation of the yokes about their axes in the same amount and in the same direction only, said means consisting of a pinion gear mounted for rotation in the main frame and a driven gear fixed to each yoke and engaging the pinion in driving relationship.

6. A guide for rolling mill, comprising a main frame having two spaced parallel plates with aligned apertures defining a pass line for rolled material, two yokes mounted between the plates for rotation about axes parallel to the pass line, one yoke lying above the pass line and the other below it, a roller having a frusto-conical surface mounted in each yoke for rotation about an axis that extends laterally of the pass line, the said axis of each roller being the axis of generation of the frusto-conical surface, means permitting the rotation of the yokes about their axes in the same amount and in the same direction only, said means comprising a pinion gear mounted for rotation in the frame and a driven gear fixed to each yoke engaging the pinion gear in driving relationship, and nozzles mounted adjacent the rolls to permit the application of fluid under high pressure thereto, each roller being provided with serrations about its periphery for actuation by the said fluid.

7. A guide for a rolling mill, comprising a main frame having two spaced parallel plates with aligned apertures defining a pass line for rolled material, two yokes mounted between the plates for rotation about axes parallel to the pass line, one yoke lying above the pass line and the other below it, a roller having a frusto-conical surface mounted in each yoke for rotation about an axis that extends laterally of the pass line and crosses the said axis of its yoke, the said axis of each roller being the axis of generation of the frusto-conical surface, and means permitting the rotation of the yokes about their axes in the same amount and in the same direction only, said means comprising a pinion gear mounted for rotation in the main frame and a driven gear fixed to each yoke and engaging the pinion gear in driving relationship.

8. A guide for rolling mill, comprising a main frame having two spaced parallel plates with aligned apertures defining a pass line for rolled material, two yokes mounted between the plates for rotation about axes parallel to the pass line, one yoke lying above the pass line and the other below it, a roller having a frusto-conical surface mounted in each yoke for rotation about an axis that extends laterally of the pass line, the said axis of each roller being the axis of generation of the frust0- conical surface, a member extending through one of the said plates and rotatably mounted therein, the memher having an aperture extending therethrough concentric with its axis of rotation, a gear segment extending from the member concentric with its axis of rotation, a worm mounted on the said one plate and engaging the said gear segment, a pinion gear mounted on the member on the side of the said one plate opposite the side of the gear segment, a gear fixed to each yoke and engaged by the pinion gear, whereby rotation of the Worm causes rotative movement of the yokes about their axes in the same amount and in the same direction only.

9. A guide for rolling mill, comprising a main frame adapted to be mounted in fixed position in a rolling mill, two rollers mounted in the frame for rotation about parallel axes extending transversely of the pass line, means for rotatably adjusting each roller about an axis parallel to the pass line, the rollers having tapered surfaces of revolution arranged to face one another and define a passage therebetween, and means for maintaining the rollers in rotation when no rolling mill product is passing through them.

10. A guide for a rolling mill, comprising a main frame adapted to be mounted in fixed position in a rolling mill,

tWo rollers mounted in the frame for rotation about parallel axes extending transversely of the pass line, the

rollers having surfaces of revolution arranged to face one another and define a passage there-between, means for adjusting the passage between the rollers, said means comprising means for turning the axes of said rollers with respect to each other and with respect to said main frame While maintaining the axes parallel, and nozzles mounted adjacent to the rollers to permit the application of fluid under high pressure thereto, each roller being provided with serrations about its periphery for actuation by the said fluid.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 472,199 Seabury' Apr. 5, 1892 624,348 Lighthall May 2, 1899 947,305 Hughes Jan. 25, 1910 956,302 Daniels Apr. 26, 1910 1,680,105 Johnson Aug. 7, 1928 2,604,733 Casler July 29, 1952 2,756,962 Joyce July 31, 1956 

